Pep Talk for Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

Today is the day to get down to business about that little thing in the back of your mind, cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. You can conquer this thing! And, you can enjoy it!

Check the menu in the game plan How to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner without Breaking a Sweat.

Have you added any of your own favorite dishes? Add the ingredients for them to the Thanksgiving Day Shopping List.

Check your cupboards and decide which dishes you will use for serving the food. Do you have enough serving bowls, spoons, and plates? If not, find some this weekend. Borrow them from friends or relatives, or buy them if you have the money.

Get everything you need for your dinner at the grocery store. Many of the items on the list you will already have on hand, if you use my plan for A Well Stocked Pantry. You will probably only need to buy the turkey and the fresh ingredients.

This weekend, if you need to do a little cleaning around the house, enlist the help of your family and get it done. Don’t get crazy about it. Just clean the dining room, bathrooms, and straighten up the kitchen. If you get too involved in cleaning, you will be too tired to get the preparations done this week. Spread it out over several days. Be kind to yourself!

Print the game plan and read it again. Post it on the wall or someplace where you’ll see it every day, so you’ll know what to do each day. If you follow the plan, you’ll only need a few minutes each day to get ready for the big T-Day.

I hope this plan helps. It’s been a lifesaver for me, and after cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for umpteen years, I can say that it works! Have a terrific holiday!

Cornbread Stuffing for Thanksgiving Dinner

This recipe goes together quick. Just make the cornbread the night before, chop it up, and then it will be ready to use on Thanksgiving Day with no extra fuss. It's part of my game plan, How to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner without Breaking a Sweat.

Ingredients for cornbread:
Corn meal
Flour
Eggs
Baking powder
Oil
Milk

Prepare the cornbread:
Just follow the package directions for cornbread. Omit any sugar from the recipe. Let the cornbread cool, then cut it into cubes. Store it in a zipper top bag until you are ready to make the stuffing.

Ingredients for stuffing:
One recipe of cornbread, cut into cubes.
4 stalks of celery, chopped fine
1 large onion or 2 small onions, chopped fine
Optional: ½ cup of grated carrots
1 stick of butter
4 cups of turkey or chicken broth
1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp crushed rosemary
1 tsp salt

Preparation:
Fry the celery and onion in the butter until translucent. Add the carrots if you are including them.
Stir the seasonings into the vegetables.
Add the cornbread, and stir until the vegetables are mixed in with the bread.
Pour the broth into the pan with the cornbread and stir. Keep adding broth until you get the stuffing at the consistency your family likes. Some people like it dry, some like it more moist.
Keep the stuffing warm.
When you remove the turkey from the oven, put the cornbread stuffing in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes. Keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out.

Dinner Magic Menus November Week 4

Pork Chops with a Spicy Rub
Mushroom Grits
Three Bean Salad

Italian Eggplant over Polenta


Sweet Ribs with Roasted Root Vegetables


White Fish in a Wine Sauce
Green Beans
Toast Points


Turkey and Ham Monte Cristo Sandwiches


Turkey Pot Pie

How to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner without Breaking a Sweat

This week we’re going to talk about cooking the big turkey dinner. If it’s your first time doing it, you might be a bit nervous. If you’ve done it before, but you end up tired, grumpy, and frazzled by the time dinner is ready, read on. I’m going to give you a planning guide to help you cook Thanksgiving Dinner and still enjoy your day.

Planning is the key. That’s what Dinner Magic is all about; planning your meals. Since any holiday dinner is a big undertaking, you also need to create a game plan for preparation. Your game plan will let you do a little bit at a time, over the whole week, so that by the big day, most of the preparations will be done. You will love being able to sit down and visit with family and friends, play games with the kids, or watch a football game.

First things first.
Plan your menu now. Here is a simple, traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu. You can add the dishes that are your family favorites.

Perfect Every Time Roast Turkey in Foil
Cornbread Stuffing (Look for my recipe on Thursday, 11/19/2009).
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Baked Yams
Green Beans with Slivered Almonds
Fall Salad
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Fresh Homemade Bread
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie

That’s quite simple, isn’t it? If you have a favorite dish that you want to include, plan to buy the ingredients and make it, or better yet, have a family member make it and bring it. I didn’t include appetizers. We usually have crackers and cheese, salami, and olives. You can get fancier if you like, or have someone else bring the appetizer. People want to help and contribute, so let them. Don’t feel like you have to do it all yourself.

Click here for the Thanksgiving Day Shopping List.

Here is my recipe for Perfect Every Time Roast Turkey in Foil.

You can make my Homemade Cranberry Sauce in ten minutes.

If you want to have a totally homemade pumpkin pie, learn how to Cook a Pumpkin.

Step Two:
Start getting ready for the dinner on the Monday before Thanksgiving. Each day, you will be doing small things to prepare. It will only take you a few minutes each day. Don’t try to get too fancy. Keep it simple. Dinner will be nice and you will be much nicer.

Monday
If you are using a frozen turkey, put it in the refrigerator to defrost. Be sure you put it on a platter to catch any moisture.
Check to see if your table linens are clean. If not, wash and dry them.
Check to see if your table ware is clean. Now is the time to run them through the dishwasher, give the silver a little polish, and shine the glasses. Have someone help you, or put on a good movie and do it in front of the television. Do you have a bowl or serving dish for each of the dinner items? If not, call a friend and borrow some.

Tuesday
Make the Homemade Cranberry Sauce.
If you are cooking your own pumpkin, make it today. Save it in the refrigerator.
If you are making your own pie crust, make them and freeze them. I love homemade crusts, but on Thanksgiving, I use the frozen rolled pie crusts. They turn out very nicely.

Wednesday
Set the table. If you have cats that might get on the table, cover it with a sheet.
Make the pies. I use the recipes on the pumpkin can and Karo corn syrup jar. Keep it simple!
Bake the cornbread for the stuffing. Cut it into small squares and put in a zipper top bag.
Run the vacuum around the house, do a quick dusting, and freshen up the bathrooms.

Thursday
It’s T-Day!
If you use my Perfect Every Time Roast Turkey in Foil recipe, you’ll only need to start the turkey about 5 hours ahead of time.

In the morning:
Put the turkey in the oven.
Put the bread ingredients in the bread machine. Set it to delay bake for when the turkey will be ready.
Put the canned yams in a baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar and marshmallows on top. Cover with foil and set aside.
Put the green beans in a microwave safe bowl. Put a pat of butter on top. Cover with foil and set aside.
Make the salad and put in the refrigerator.
Cut up the onions and celery for the stuffing.
Set up the coffee pot for after dinner coffee.
Fill a sink with soapy water to wash utensils and dishes as you work.

90 minutes before turkey time:
Prepare the potatoes. (Washing, peeling, chopping.) Put the potatoes in salted water.
Cook the vegetables for the stuffing in butter and herbs. Add the cornbread and broth. Place in a covered baking dish and keep warm.
Wash the pan and cooking utensils.

60 minutes before turkey time:
Start cooking the mashed potatoes.

35 minutes before turkey time:
Mash the potatoes. Place in a covered dish in the oven until serving time.

25 minutes before turkey time:
Take the turkey out of the oven. Let it rest for ten minutes before lifting it out of the pan.
Put the yams and stuffing in the oven.
Put the green beans in the microwave.
Get the bread out of the bread machine.

10 minutes before turkey time:
Make the gravy.

Turkey time!
Have everyone help place all the food on the table.
Have someone else serve the drinks.
Have another person slice the bread.
Turn on the coffee pot.
Sit down and enjoy the meal!

After dinner:
Since you’ve been cleaning as you go, most of the dishes will be done, except for what was on the table. Clean up will be fast and easy. Put on some fun music and go!

Have your family and friends help you put leftovers in zipper top bags and Glad Plastic storage bowls. These make it easy for guests to take home some of the leftovers. Make sure you save enough for your own Turkey Pot Pies and Monte Cristo Sandwiches on Friday and Saturday.

Rinse the dishes and stack them in the dishwasher.
Roll up the tablecloth and toss it in the washing machine.
Now you have time to enjoy some games and fun with family and friends.

Sweet Ribs with Roasted Root Vegetables

Pop these ribs and vegetables in the crockpot in the morning for a warm fall dinner. Yes, you’ll need two crockpots for this one. Otherwise, cook the ribs in the crockpot and the vegetables in the oven that evening.


Ingredients:
Pork or beef ribs, bone-in
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 bottle honey barbeque sauce
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 yam, peeled and cut into cubes
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, quartered
¼ cup of parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Cook the ribs:
Simmer the ribs in water to cover and the vinegar for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the ribs and place in the crock pot.
Pour the honey barbeque sauce over the top.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

Cook the vegetables:
There are two ways to do the vegetables.
In the crock pot:
Place the vegetables in a crockpot lightly coated with oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook on low for 8 hours.
In the oven:
Place the vegetables in a baking dish, dot with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with tin foil.
Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes longer, to brown.

Serve this with lots of napkins and iced tea.

Another delicious ribs recipe is Country Pork Ribs with Pesto Mashed Potatoes.

Fall Salad with Cranberries, Oranges, and Pecans

This salad is an easy one to make for Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:
Salad mix (or make a mixture of green leaf, red leaf, and romaine lettuce)
¼ cup of crushed pecans or walnuts
1 small can mandarin oranges
½ cup of dried cranberries

Preparation:
Mix the lettuce.
Toss in the drained mandarin orange slices
Sprinkle the cranberries and pecans over the top.

This tastes great with an Asian style dressing over it.

Turkey and Ham Monte Cristo Sandwiches

This delicious Monte Cristo will use up leftover cranberry sauce, turkey, and ham. It can be served any time of day or night, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s perfect for using up leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients:
Sliced Texas toast or firm homemade white bread
Sliced turkey breast
Sliced ham
Cranberry sauce
Provolone cheese
Dijon mustard
Maple syrup
Butter
1 egg, ¼ cup of milk, and ¼ tsp cinnamon for each sandwich

Preparation:
Whip the egg and milk together with the cinnamon.
Dip each slice of bread in the egg mixture and grill on one side in butter.
Flip the bread, then while it is still in the pan:
Spread Dijon mustard on the cooked side.
Add the meat and cheese.
Top with a spoonful of cranberry sauce.
Place the second slice of bread on top of the sandwich and continue cooking.
Flip the sandwich once, and cook until the cheese melts.
Warm the maple syrup in the microwave.
Serve the sandwich with the maple syrup.

Turkey Pot Pie

Make this dinner with Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. This is the dinner to make when all you have left are bits and pieces of turkey and the best pieces are all gone.

Ingredients:
1 lb turkey meat, cut into small pieces
1 jar of turkey gravy, or 2 cups of gravy if you still have some leftover
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup of chopped celery, onion, and carrots, mixed
2 frozen pie crusts
2 Tbsp olive oil
Tossed salad ingredients:
½ head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
Dried cranberries
¼ cup of chopped pecans
White wine viniagrette salad dressing

Preparation:
Set the pie crusts on the counter to thaw out.
Cook the celery, onion, and carrots in hot oil until tender.
Remove the vegetables and drain the oil from the pan.
Mix the turkey, celery, onion, carrots, mixed vegetables, and gravy in the pan and warm through.
Pour the mixture into the bottom pie crust.
Remove the top pie crust from the pan and lay over the top of the other crust.
Crimp the edges together with finger and thumb.
Cut slats into the top crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
While the pot pie bakes, toss the salad ingredients together with ¼ cup of salad dressing.

White Fish in a Wine Sauce

Green Beans
Toast Points

Yes, toast points. This may be something you’ve only heard of from your grandmother. Toast points are basically pieces of toast cut into triangles with the crusts cut off. They’re used to soak up sauces in dishes like this one. Have a retro dinner tonight with toast points.

Ingredients:
2 pounds of white fish, such as cod or tilapia
¼ cup butter
2 Tbsp flour
½ tsp dried dill
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup wine
1 lemon, sliced
1 pound fresh green beans
4 slices of toast

Preparation:
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Bake the fish at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is flaky.
While the fish is cooking, prepare the white sauce.
Melt the butter in a pan, and stir the flour into the butter with a whisk.
Slowly add the milk and then the wine, allowing the sauce to simmer. Add the dill, salt, and pepper.
Steam the green beans with ¼ cup of water in the microwave for 4-6 minutes.
Toast the bread. Trim the crusts and cut into triangles.
Place the fish on a platter and spoon the white sauce over the top.
Place the toast points around the edges of the platter.

Dinner Magic Menus November Week 3

Chicken Breasts with Pumpkin Risotto
Steamed Broccoli


Baked Salmon with Carrots and Parsnips
Homemade Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Saucy Beef Crockpot Stew


Chicken Paprikash over Egg Noodles
Peas and Carrots


Country Chicken Stew with Dill Dumplings


Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
Creamy Tomato Soup


Tamale Pie

Dinner Magic Shopping List November Week 3

Meats:
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 pounds wild caught salmon
2 pounds beef stew meat
1 pound lean ground beef

Dairy:
Butter (real butter, not margarine)
¼ pound feta or bleu cheese
¼ pound Parmesan
Sliced Provolone
16 ounce container of sour cream
½ pint of half and half
Milk
Eggs

Frozen Food:
1 package of peas and carrots

Fresh Food:
Broccoli florets
1 small fresh pumpkin
3 onions
1 bunch of parsley
One bunch of chives
1 lemon
7 carrots
4 russet potatoes
6 small new potatoes
1 green bell pepper
1 pound fresh green beans
1 purple eggplant
Tomato soup from the deli department, or tomato soup in a box

Canned Food:
1 jar of crushed garlic
6 cans chicken stock
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can cream style corn
1 small can sliced black olives
1 can of diced green chilis

Dry Food and Staples:
Olive oil and cooking spray
Arborio or risotto rice
Egg noodles
Orowheat Sandwich Thins
Baking mix, such as Bisquick
Cornmeal
Flour
Yeast

Spices and Condiments:
Salt and Pepper
Dried sage
Dried thyme
Dried dill weed
Garlic powder
Ground cumin
Red pepper flakes
Paprika
Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce
1 package taco seasoning mix

Other items needed for personal shopping list:

Italian Eggplant over Polenta

If you’re not a fan of eggplant, you might be after you taste this dish. For this photo, I added a bit of rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
1 cup of sliced carrots
1 can of red kidney beans, drained
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes
6 ounce can of tomato paste
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp crushed red pepper
1 bay leaf
3 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups of corn meal
2 cups of water
2 cups of broth

Preparation:
Sprinkle salt over the eggplant and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
Mix the other ingredients except the last three, (the cornmeal, water, and broth) and stir to blend the spices with the liquid.
Rinse the eggplant and add to the mixture.
Pour into the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

In the afternoon:
Bring the water and broth to a boil.
Add the cornmeal and cook until thick, about 3-4 minutes.

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More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.


Put the hot polenta in a bowl and top it with the eggplant mixture from the slow cooker.

Pork Chops with a Spicy Rub

Mushroom Grits
Three Bean Salad

This is a great dinner to prepare when you’re in a big hurry and you only have a few moments to cook.

Ingredients:
4 pork chops, sirloin cut or center loin cut
2 tbsp Creole seasoning
8 ounces of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups of chicken stock
¾ cup of grits
1 jar of three bean salad

Preparation:
Wash and dry the pork chops and rub them on both sides with the Creole seasoning.
Boil the chicken stock in a saucepan.
Add the grits. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until thick, about 4-5 minutes.
While the grits are cooking, place the pork chops in an indoor barbeque grill .
Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan.
Saute the mushrooms in the oil and butter until dark brown.
Stir the mushrooms into the grits.
When the pork chops are done, serve them with the grits and bean salad.

This little indoor grill will cook up the chops fast and has easy cleanup.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

This morning it was a tad bit chilly at our house, so we decided to have pumpkin oatmeal. The crispness of fall brings out the desire to start cooking pumpkin, cranberries, and warm weather foods. Having just made the Chicken Breasts with Pumpkin Risotto last night, I had half of a cooked pumpkin in my refrigerator, just waiting to be turned into something delicious.

This recipe can be made using canned pumpkin as well, however fresh baked pumpkin gives it a texture that the canned variety can’t duplicate.

1 ½ cups of skim milk
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup of quick cooking oats (not instant)
¼ cup of packed brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or alternately, ¼ tsp nutmeg
1 ½ cups of cooked pumpkin
Optional ingredients to add in: raisins, dried cranberries, pecans, or walnuts.

Bring the skim milk to scalding over medium high heat.
Add the salt and oatmeal. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes.
Add the brown sugar and spices, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Stir the pumpkin into the oatmeal and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

This recipe will make enough for four small servings, or if you’re really hungry, two hefty servings.

Country Chicken Stew with Dill Dumplings

This recipe will make enough to serve for dinner one night with plenty left over for another meal. Before serving, put half of the stew in a freezer safe dish, label, and freeze. Then, on a cold winter night, when you don’t feel like cooking, just pull it out of the freezer and reheat. It tastes just as delicious the second time around.

Ingredients:
1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tsp crushed fresh garlic
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 lb fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
6 small new potatoes, or 2 russet potatoes, cut up
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 cups of chicken broth
1/3 cup of milk
1 cup of baking mix, such as Bisquick
1 Tbsp dill

Preparation:
Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.
Place the vegetables in first, and the chicken on top of the vegetables.
Sprinkle with the garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the broth into the crock pot.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

In the afternoon, make the dumplings:
Stir together the milk, baking mix, and dill just until moistened.
Drop by spoonfuls on top of the hot stew in the crock pot.
Cover and cook another 30 minutes, until the dumplings are firm.
The dumplings will thicken the sauce on the chicken and vegetables.
This is nice served with a crisp white wine.

Saucy Beef Crockpot Stew

Hot Homemade Bread




For this dinner, everything is prepared in the morning. All you have to do is take the bread out of the bread machine in the afternoon and slice it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed of all fat
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters
1 onion, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce-32 oz.

Flour and yeast for the bread machine bread

Preparation:
Spray the crock pot with cooking spray or a thin coating of cooking oil.
Place the vegetables in the crock pot.
Place the meat in the crock pot on top of the vegetables.
Stir together the soups, red pepper flakes, and Kitchen Bouquet.
Pour over the meat and vegetables.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Place all the ingredients for the bread in the bread machine according to directions.
Set the delay bake function to have the bread ready 20 minutes before the stew.
Serve the beef stew with the hot homemade bread.


I've used Kitchen Bouquet for years, and there's nothing quite like it for browning and seasoning beef. There isn't any substitute for it. It has it's own unique flavor which is quite tasty. One bottle will last a long time in the kitchen. Store it in the refrigerator for best results.

Chicken Paprikash over Egg Noodles

Peas and Carrots




Ingredients:
1 lb of boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenderloins
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp real butter (not margarine)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp paprika
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of sour cream
¼ cup of chopped chives
1 bag of egg noodles
1 bag of frozen peas and carrots

Preparation:
Melt the butter and heat the oil in a skillet.
Add the onions and cook until transparent.
Add the chicken tenderloins and the paprika.
Cook until the chicken is well done.
Add the chicken stock and simmer while the noodles cook.
Cook the noodles in boiling, salted water according to package directions.
Cook the vegetables in the microwave while the noodles cook.
Drain the noodles.
Stir the sour cream into the chicken and onion mixture.
The sauce should be thick. Warm it through.
Stir the noodles into the sour cream and chicken mixture.
Sprinkle chives over the top. Serve with the vegetables on the side.

Tamale Pie

This versatile recipe can be cooked in the slow cooker, or it can be baked in the oven. Both ways are given.

Ingredients:
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 envelope of taco seasoning mix
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15 ounces) of diced tomatoes
1 small can ripe olives, sliced and drained
1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn
1 small can diced green chilis
Corn bread topping:
1 cup of corn meal
1 cup of flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp salt
½ cup of milk
1 can (15 ounce) of cream style corn

Preparation:
Cook the meat until well done.
Drain the meat and add the spices. Stir well.
Add the tomatoes, onion, olives, corn, and ½ the can of green chilis and warm through.
Pour into the bottom of a crock pot or a 2-1/2-Quart Casserole Dish.
Make the corn bread topping:
Stir together the corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the egg, salt, milk, and cream style corn.
Pour over the top of the meat mixture.
If cooking in a crock pot, cook for 6-8 hours on low. The top should get brown around the edges.
If baking in the oven, bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the corn bread is golden brown and bounces back when touched with a finger.

This is tasty dish with a side salad and ranch dressing.

Baked Salmon with Carrots and Parsnips

Homemade Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 lb of wild caught salmon
1 lemon
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp dill weed
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
½ cup of chopped parsley
2 Tbsp real butter, melted
Baking mix
Milk
Egg
¼ cup of grated cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp real butter, melted

Preparation:
Place the prepared vegetables in a covered baking dish.
Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter and add the parsley to it.
Pour the melted butter and parsley over the vegetables. Toss to coat.
Cover with foil.
Place in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Wash and dry the salmon and place in a foil lined baking dish.
Cut the lemon and sprinkle the juice over the salmon flesh.
Sprinkle with sea salt and dill weed.
Prepare the biscuits according to the package directions, adding the ¼ cup of cheese.
Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter and stir in the garlic powder.
Brush the melted garlic butter over the biscuits.
After 45 minutes, turn the oven up to 425 degrees.
Test the vegetables to see if they are done. If they are tender, remove them and keep them warm. If not, continue to bake them with the salmon and biscuits.
Place the salmon and the biscuits in the oven.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and firm, and the fish flakes with a fork.

Using baking dishes that go from oven to table makes cooking and cleaning much easier. This baking dish works perfectly for the vegetables, as well as for Chicken Parmigiana and other baked recipes.

Dinner Magic Menus November Week 2

Click here for the Dinner Magic November Week 2 Shopping List.

Hearty Minestrone Soup
Warm Homemade Bread


Creamy Ranch Potatoes with Ham
Winter Vegetables


Beef Pot Pie
Tossed Salad


Crock Pot Chili in Sourdough Bread Bowls


Baked Stuffed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes
Tossed Salad with Black Beans


Mediterranean Chicken Dinner in the Crock Pot


Creamy Tortellini Soup with Chicken

Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Creamy Tomato Soup

This is a nice fall dinner that cooks up quickly. Also, did you know that today is National Eggplant Day? I'm not sure who thinks up these days, but since I love eggplant, I'll go along with it. This is a way to use up the last of the eggplant that is still be in the markets. It uses the Orowheat Sandwich Thins which are a new whole wheat or multi-grain bun that is thinner than a regular sandwich bun.

Ingredients:

Orowheat Sandwich Thins
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
4 slices of provolone cheese
Dijon style mustard
Tomato soup from the deli department
½ cup of half and half
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Heat the soup over medium heat in a saucepan.
Stir in the half and half and keep warm while cooking the sandwiches.
Spray the plates of a George Foreman Grill with cooking spray.
Grill the sliced eggplant on an indoor grill for one minute.
Spread the mustard on the Orowheat Sandwich Thins.
Remove the eggplant.
Stack the eggplant and provolone cheese between two slices of sandwich thins.
Grill the sandwich for another minute, until the cheese melts and the grill marks appear on the bread.
Serve the sandwiches with a cup of soup. Garnish the soup with grated Parmesan cheese.



Photo credit for eggplants: Kevin Connors

Chicken Breasts with Pumpkin Risotto

Steamed Broccoli



For this recipe, I bought a small pumpkin. I used half the pumpkin for this risotto dish, and I baked the other half of the pumpkin to use later in Pumpkin Oatmeal. If you aren't going to use the pumpkin right away, scrape it out of the shell freeze it.


Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp dried crushed sage
1 tsp dried crushed thyme
½ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp real butter, melted
1 small head of broccoli florets
1 lb fresh pumpkin, cut up into small cubes (You don't need to peel it.)
½ tsp dried sage
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 sweet onion, chopped fine
2 cups of Arborio rice
4 cups of chicken stock
¼ cup of feta or bleu cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley

Preparation:
Place the olive and melted butter in a Bakers Quarter Sheet 13 X 9 pan.
Place the pumpkin, garlic, and onions in the pan and sprinkle the spices over the top. Toss the vegetables to coat with the spices, oil, and butter.
Turn the pumpkin pieces flesh side down.
Bake the pumpkin in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes.
While the pumpkin is baking, begin cooking the risotto in 1 cup of chicken stock.
Remove the pumpkin from the oven and scrape it from the shell. Mash it gently, leaving it slightly chunky.
When the risotto has absorbed the chicken stock, add another cup. Continue to do this until all four cups of chicken stock have been used. It takes about 25-30 minutes.
Pound the chicken between two pieces of waxed paper with a mallet.
Sprinkle the sage, thyme, salt and pepper over the chicken breasts.
Grill in an indoor grill, such as the George Foreman grill until done. When the chicken is well done, the juice will run clear.
Remove from the grill and keep warm.
Steam the broccoli in the microwave in a small amount of water.
When the risotto is cooked, stir in the pumpkin.
Garnish the pumpkin risotto with the cheese and parsley. Serve with the chicken breasts.

To make clean up faster, I bought the George Foreman grill with removable plates. If you're looking for a kitchen grill, this is one to consider.

Dinner Magic Menus November Week 1

Here are this week's menus. Remember, substitutions are fine. Create the meals with your family's taste in mind. All the meals serve 4-6 hungry people.

Click here for this week's shopping list.


Pork Paprikash in the Slow Cooker
Mashed Baked Potatoes
Broccoli with Lemon Juice
Crusty White Bread

Serve this up with mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, a green vegetable, and some bread hot out of the bread machine for a delicious, warm dinner that serves four to six.




Vegetable and Tofu Curry Dinner

This vegetarian fare is a filling dinner in a dish. Add chopped, cooked chicken if you prefer to have meat in the dish.



Baked Chicken Parmigiana
Green Beans
Romaine Salad with Homemade Caesar Dressing

This tasty Italian style dinner will have them asking for seconds!




White Bean Chicken Chili
Warm Corn Bread
Fresh Garden Salad

This simple meal takes only minutes to make and tastes delicious. Leftovers can be frozen in single portion sizes to be reheated for a warm lunch at work.

Roast Chicken in the Crockpot
Baked Butternut Squash
Fresh Whole Wheat Bread
Garden Salad with Craisins and Pecans

With roast chicken this simple, you’ll want to make it again and again. Turning it on HIGH at the end will make the skin crispy and brown.




Taco Soup with Tortilla Chips
Yogurt and Blueberry Dessert

A favorite of my family’s for years, this soup is tasty any time of year.




Carnitas Burritos
Refried Beans
Spanish Rice
Shredded Salad Toppings

The trick to making tender carnitas is to cook is slowly all day.

Shopping List November Week 1

Crock Pot Chili in Sourdough Bread Bowls

This chili cooks all day in the slow cooker to boost the flavor. The secret to this recipe is browning the chili spice before adding it to the recipe. It’s fun to put it in sourdough bowls like they do at the ball park, however, you can always put it in a bowl and serve sourdough rolls on the side. This recipe makes enough chili for four people. It can be easily doubled.

Ingredients:
2 cans of kidney beans, drained
1 lb of ground beef, cooked and drained
1 clove of garlic, chopped, or 1 tsp of crushed garlic from a jar
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 can diced and roasted green chili peppers
1 can of Ro-tel tomatoes, hot or mild (If you can’t find Ro-tel, use regular tomatoes, and add one packet of taco seasoning mix)
1 (13 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt (if you use taco seasoning mix, omit the salt)
1/2 cup of leftover black coffee
Sourdough bread rounds.

Preparation:
Pour the chili powder into a hot skillet and heat it until it begins to have a distinct smell. Do not burn the chili, simply let it get a brown tinge to it.
Mix all the ingredients together in the crockpot.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
Cut the sourdough bowls in the center and pull out the top, forming a bowl.
Pour the chili into the sourdough bowls.

Photo: Chili in Sourdough Bowl
Creative Commons License

Baked Stuffed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

Tossed Salad with Black Beans

Dinner doesn’t get much easier than baked stuffed potatoes and salad. I’ve listed suggestions for stuffings, but you can use whatever your family enjoys. This also makes a terrific potluck idea. One person provides the potatoes, and everyone else brings a different stuffing.

Ingredients:
One baked potato or baked sweet potato per person
1 can of black beans, drained
½ head of green and red lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, cut into quarters
Croutons
Italian dressing

Stuffing ideas:
Grated cheeses: mozzarella, asiago, cheddar, American, hot pepper jack
Cooked meats: chopped cooked chicken, ground turkey with seasoning, ground beef, crumbled bacon, cooked Italian sausage
Chili: red chili or white bean chicken chili
Chopped green onions or red onions
Sliced olives
Sour cream
Chopped chili peppers
Beans: red, kidney, navy, black, or pinquito

Preparation:
Cook the potatoes in the oven or the microwave.
While the potatoes cook, chop the lettuce and tomatoes.
Toss with ½ cup of black beans and 2 Tbsp of Italian dressing.
Use the remaining black beans on the potatoes.
Place the stuffing ingredients on the table and let everyone make their own creation.

Photo by Balakov on Flickr

Beef Pot Pie

Tossed Salad with Walnuts and Mandarin Oranges

Pot pies don’t have to be hard to make. Use ingredients that are already prepped to make it quick to prepare.

Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew meat, cut into small pieces
1 jar of beef gravy
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup of chopped celery, onion, and carrots, mixed
2 frozen pie crusts
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Tossed salad ingredients:
½ head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 can of mandarin oranges, drained
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
Asian style salad dressing

Preparation:
Set the pie crusts on the counter to thaw out.
Wash and dry the beef stew meat and place it in a Ziploc bag.
Add the flour, salt and pepper to the bag.
Toss the meat to coat in flour.
Cook in hot oil until it is well done.
Remove the beef to a separate dish and cook the celery, onion, and carrots in the oil until tender.
Remove the vegetables and drain the oil from the pan.
Mix the beef, celery, onion, carrots, mixed vegetables, and gravy in the pan and warm through.
Pour the mixture into the bottom pie crust.
Remove the top pie crust from the pan and lay over the top of the other crust.
Crimp the edges together with finger and thumb.
Cut slats into the top crust.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
While the pot pie bakes, toss the salad ingredients together with ¼ cup of salad dressing.

Photo: Joshua M. Neff

Mediterranean Chicken Dinner in the Crock Pot

The flavors in this dish combine all day in the slow cooker to make a meal that is tasty and warm. The list of ingredients is long, but the preparation is easy. Buy the vegetables that are already chopped to shorten the prep time.

Ingredients:
2 cups of sliced crimini mushrooms
1 can of diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning (14 ounce can)
1 small jar of artichoke hearts in olive oil
1 cup of chicken broth
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small peeled and chopped eggplant (about 2 cups)
1 small can of sliced black olives, drained
2 Tbsp capers
3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon crushed thyme
Dash of salt and pepper
1 fryer chicken, cut up, or 4 large chicken breasts
Cooked risotto (arborio rice)

Preparation in the morning:
Put the first twelve ingredients in the slow cooker and stir them together.
Add the chicken, and cover with the other ingredients.
Cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours.

In the afternoon:
Cook the arborio rice following my basic risotto recipe directions.
If the sauce on the chicken is too thin, add 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water to the broth. Allow it to thicken.

Serve the Mediterranean Chicken over the risotto.

Creamy Tortellini Soup with Chicken

This recipe cooks up quick so that you don’t have to worry about working hard to fix a meal when you get home in the evening. Just stir together a few ingredients and dish it up!

Ingredients:
4 cups of water
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 chopped yellow sweet onion
1 clove of garlic chopped, or 1 tsp crushed garlic
½ tsp of dried basil or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
½ tsp dried oregano or 2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
4 cups of chopped spinach
1 package of frozen cheese tortellini (14 ounce size)
2 cups of chopped chicken or turkey (this is a great way to use leftovers)
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup of half and half

Preparation:
Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker except the half and half and the cornstarch.
Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.
Add the tortellini and cook for another 10 minutes.
Stir the half and half into the cornstarch.
Add the mixture to the pot. Stir and let it thicken for about 5 minutes.
Serve the soup with parmesan on top, if you like.

Creamy Ranch Potatoes with Ham in the Slow Cooker

Winter Vegetables

This is a dish my family requests over and over again. You won't mind if your family requests it often either, because it's so easy to make.

Ingredients:
3 pounds of small red potatoes, quartered (Russet potatoes are fine, too.)
8 ounces of sour cream (Low fat or whole fat, your preference.)
1 package of buttermilk ranch dressing mix
2 cups of milk
2 cups of cut up ham (This is a great dish for using leftover ham.)
Frozen winter vegetables
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated cheddar cheese for topping (optional)

Preparation:
Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray.
Mix the sour cream, dressing mix, and milk.
Stir in the potatoes.
Place in the slow cooker and cook on low heat 8 hours or high heat 4 hours.
Turn off the heat and use a potato masher to gently smash the potatoes.

Just before serving, cook the vegetables according to the package directions, adding ½ of the chopped parsley to the vegetables.
Serve the Creamy Ranch Potatoes with the vegetables on the side.
Sprinkle cheese and parsley over the potatoes.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Warm Homemade Bread

This soup tastes best when it’s made in the slow cooker because the low heat gives it plenty of time for the flavors to blend. If you would rather cook it on the stove, plan on letting it simmer for about one hour. The second day it’s even more delicious.

If you’re choosing vegetarian dishes, this one qualifies. If you prefer meat in your soup, you can add a can of chopped chicken breast.

Ingredients:
1 can navy beans
1 can pink kidney beans
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 chopped yellow onion
1 cup of chopped green beans, zucchini, or both
2 cans of Italian style diced tomatoes
2 cans of vegetable broth
2 cups of water
1 cup of rotini pasta
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese for a garnish

Preparation:
Place all the ingredients except the pasta in the slow cooker or in a stock pot on the stove.
Do not drain the canned beans.
Cook on low heat for 8 hours in the slow cooker, or 45 minutes at medium heat on the stove.
Add the pasta to the soup. Cook until al dente. In the slow cooker, this is about 30 minutes. On the stove, it should take about 10 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and top with parsley and parmesan.

This soup is so hearty that it is a complete meal all by itself.